Slide buckle with roller



y 1965 R. E. HOLMAN, JR 3,193,898

SLIDE BUCKLE WITH ROLLER Filed Aug. 2 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet "1 Robert E l-lo/mab, Jz

1N VEN TOR.

July 13, 1965 R. E. HOLMAN, JR

SLIDE BUCKLE WITH ROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1962 Robert E. Holman, Jr:

IN VEN TOR.

BY mw United States Patent 3,193,898 SLIDE BUCKLE WITH ROLLER Robert E. Holman, In, 10619 Doric St, Dallas, Tex. Filed Aug. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 214,297 12 Claims. (Cl. 24196) This invention comprises a novel and useful slide buckle with roller and more particularly pertains to a cargo retaining strap having a buckle adjustably attached thereto for providing a secure, instantly applied and yet readily releasable clamping engagement upon a strap.

A general and primary object of this invention is to provide an improved buckle construction having a readily adjustable improved releasable gripping action upon a strap.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a strap and buckle construction especially adapted for use as a cargo retaining strap for the storage compartments of trucks and other cargo transporting vehicles which may be quickly and easily applied to fixed anchor means and readily adjusted to properly tension the strap and retain portions of cargo in place thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide a buckle and strap assembly which shall have a novel and highly effective gripping action between the elements of the buckle and the strap whereby a very slight tensioning movement upon the strap will be elfective to instantly establish a non-slipping gripping engagement of the buckle therewith and yet whereby the locking action of the buckle may be readily released.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the preceding objects which shall be of extremely simple construction and whereby a single construction of buckle shall serve equally for either or both ends of a retaining strap.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a buckle having a pair of relatively movable members one of which shall constitute a locking member and the other an abutment member and which shall have an extremely great efficiency and effectiveness in obtaining a clamping and locking engagement of the members upon a strap.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide a buckle construction in which a pair of locking and abutment members are slidably mounted upon the buckle base together with a release means slidably secured to the base between the two members and operable by engagement with both of the members to effect quick release of the locking engagement thereof and permit the strap to be readily Withdrawn or loosened with respect to the buckle elements.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view showing a preferred construction of a strap having the improved buckle secured thereto with the strap and buckle being shown in position for engagement of the strap upon fixed anchors during use of the device;

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of the arrangement of FIGURE 1, parts being broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a detail view in elevation of one face of the buckle and showing a portion of the strap applied thereto and with the elements of the buckle being shown in the strap-locking position;

FIGURE 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 44 of FIGURE 3;

ice

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 3 but showing the release means actuated to disengage the locking and abutment elements so that the strap may be adjusted with respect to the buckle;

FIGURE 6 is a detail view in vertical longitudinal section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the locking member of the buckle assembly. 7

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be noted that the numeral 19 designates generally a cargo-retaining means in accordance with this invention which consists of a web or strap 12 of any desired character having at either or both ends thereof an'adjustable buckle 14 which forms the subject matter of this invention. As will be noted, the ends of the buckle are detachably anchored or coupled or hooked to a cargo-retaining rail 1o mounted upon the side wall 18 of a vehicle compartment or other cargo-receiving space whereby the cargoretaining means It) can be placed in selected positions therealong to thereby engage and confine cargo to selected portions of the cargo space. It will be appreci ated that this use of the cargo-retaining means is illustrative only, since the strap and buckle assembly is readily applicable to other environments of use. Further, the novel buckle to be hereinafter set forth can be used with other straps than those employed for cargoretaining purposes.

It is an important feature of the invention that the novel buckle 14 may be secured to either or both ends of the strap 12 and that the same standardized buckle construction will serve to adjustably secure either or both ends of the strap in a detachable manner to an anchor rail or the like. 7 Referring now more specifically to FIGURE 3 it will be observed that the buckle 14 includes a generally fiat plate-like body 20 of a generally rectangular shape and which at one end is provided with an anchor or hook indicated generally by the numeral 22. This hook prefer-. ably consists of an arm 24 connected to the plate-like body 2t? at one end and one side thereof, which arm is angulated with respect to the body as will be readily apparent from FIGURE 1. At its outer extremity, the arm 24 is provided with a finger or bar 26 extending and in generally parallel relation to but spaced from the adjacent edge of 'the body 20 and which finger is provided with serrated portions 28 to enable the obtaining of a firm and secure gripping and anchoring action upon the cargo rail 16 in a manner suggested in FIGURE 2.

The body 2d has a pair of spaced sides 30 which are joined at their end which is opposite to the hook 22 as by a transverse integral bar or member 32 to thus define a generally rectangular opening 34 therebetween. The side edges of the body 20 on one face thereof are provided with upwardly projecting parallel flanges or side walls 36, which as shown best in FIGURES 1, 4 and 6 are provided with longitudinally extending parallel slots 38. The elements as previously described comprise the base component of the buckle.

Associated with this base component are three movable elements. These consist of a locking member 40, an abutment member 42 and a release member indicated generally by the numeral 43. Each of the locking and abutment members is mounted movably upon the body and extends transversely thereacross and across the opening 34, being shiftable longitudinally of the body. For this purpose, each of the three members has extremities which are slidably received in the slots 38 and are retained therein.

Referring now especially to FIGURE 7 in conjunction with FIGURES 3-6, it will be observed that the cylindrical locking member 40 is provided with flat extremities 44 which are slidably received in the slots 38 and are capable of a limited turning or rocking movement therein. Further, although the member 40 cannot rotate, it is free to slide longitudinally withinv the confines of the slot. Upon its surface, the cylindrical member 40 has a semi-cylindrical recess or channel 46 extending, across the length thereof and which rec/ess,as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6, is of sufiicient depth to provide a cavity which is substantially complementary to the corresponding cylindrical surface of the abutment member 42 for a purpose to be subsequently apparent.

Considering next the abutment member 42, it will be into the recess 46 will effectively prevent any slippage of the strap.

observed that this member likewise is a cylindricalbody 4 V which, however, is provided-with longitudinally or axially extending serrations or ridges 48 to provide a knurled,

serrated and frictional gripping surface. The extremities of the abutment member 42 are provided with pintles or trunnions as shown at 49 which are both slidably and rotataby received in the slots 38.

The release member 43 is a rod-like element having its mid-portion provided with a loop 50 constituting a handle or finger grip member whereby the release member may be manipulated. A pair of outwardly divergent angulated When it is' desired to release the strap however, it is merely necessary to grasp the releasing member 43 by the handle 50 and rock thisrmember about its extremities 54 in the manner suggested in FIGURES 5 and 6.

When the release member is rocked in a position from left to right as viewed in' FIGURES 3 and 4 in comparison with FIGURES 5 and 6, the extremities 56 thereof will press against the extremities 44 of the locking member while the arms '54 will press against the extremities 49 of the abutment member 42. This will produce a lever action tending to pry or separate these members and urge them apart, thereby providing sufiicient clearance therebetween as shown in FIGURE 6 to permit the loop to surface 48 will not engage the adjacent edge of the openportions 52 extend from the opposite ends of the loop or handle 50 and overlie the members 40 and 42 as will be apparent from a comparison ofFIGURES 3 and 4 with FIGURES 5 and 6.

At their outer ends, the portions 52 are provided with arms 54 each having an extremity 56 which is likewise slidably and rotatably retained in the slots 38 between the 7 members 46 and 42; The arms54are so'disposed that when the release member 43 is rocked from its position shown in FIGURE 3, which is theidle or locking position, to its releasing position shown in FIGURE 5, the

arms will abut and engage the extremities of the two members dtl and 42 andv cause relative separating movement between these members. The eifect of this is to release the locking engagement of these members 40 and 42 with the belt or web 12 as shown in FIGURE 4 to a disengaged and released position shown in FIGURE 6, in which released position the web or belt can readily slide about the 7 7 locking member 40,

The strap is attached to the buckle in the manner shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. For, this purpose, a portion of the strap. is bent to form a loop 60 which embraces or encircles the locking member 40. The contiguous portions of the strap shown at 62 and 64 both extend through the opening 34 on the opposite side of the body 20v from that carrying the side walls or flanges 36. The contiguous strap portion 64 is disposed between the two members 40 and 42. p I Z In use, the tensioned portion ofthe strap is the portion 7 62 which is entrained about the locking member'4tl. The

loose end of the strap indicated by the numeral 66, and which may be provided witha knot 68 or other means to prevent its inadvertent passage through the buckle, is disposed between the two members 40 and 42. In use, with 'the buckles suitably fastened or anchored as shown in surface with the contiguous portion rotate therewith, while the loop portion of thestrap will slide about the smooth cylindrical surface of the member 40. Thus, a slight in-.

crease in tension "is effective to' immediately tension the entire belt or strap. It will be noted that, the moment this 7 tension is released, a part of "the loop is deformed into the concave'semi-cylindrical surface '46 of the locking member 40, being disposed arcuately thereinto by the tension of the strap which, draws the locking member into close' seated engagement upon the abutment member 42 as shown in FIGURE 4. In this engagement, the, serrated surface of the member 42, pressingagainst the strap and r ing. 34. Thus there is no resistance to rotation of the member 42 during either tightening or loosening of the clamping action of the buckle upon the strap. In a similar manner, the other ends of the slots will engage the terminal portions 44 of the locking member, 40 and thereby prevent engagement of the cylindrical surface of the member 46 or the strap loop entrained thereover with the adiacent edge of the opening 34. Thus wear upon the strap is reduced to a minimum, and the operation of the device is rendered more sensitive and effective.

It will, be noted that with this arrangement, the full force applied to the end portion 66 of the strap is effective to increase, the tension of the. main portion of the strap. This is so since there is a straight line pull possible around the abutment and. locking members during this operation. .Furthen the smooth cylindrical surface of I liesffiat in the same line as thefwebbing of the strap and requires no change in the position of its body in order 7 to etfect the releasing operation. This likewise reduces the possibility of damage to packages which are compressively engaged by the strap Still further, the fiat reversesurface of the buckle is ideally adapted to engage against boxes or the like of cargo without damage to the latter and without in anyway interfering with the tensioning or releasing operation of the buckle, and strap combination.

principles of the. invention.

Essentially important features of this device reside in the ability of the buckle to accept all of the power of the pull which is applied thereto and transmit this entire pull to the belt for tensioning the latter without a change the, attitude of the buckle in relation to the line of pull or'in relation to the cargo which is being compressibly engaged and retainedby the device.

The foregoing isconsidered as illustrative only of the Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and'accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: '1. A cargo retainer comprising a strap and a buckle a: adjustably secured thereto, said buckle comprising a plate-like body having a planar face free of projections and constituting an open frame having ends and sides defining an opening therebetween, locking and abutment members disposed in side-by-side relation and extending across said opening, mounting means upon the other face of said body on opposite sides of said opening and supporting in spaced relation to said other face the ends of said members for sliding movement of said members across said opening and toward and from each other, rotation preventing means on one of said members, said strap having a loop embracing said locking member and having the portions of said strap contiguous to said loop extending through said opening and overlying said body planar face, one of said strap portions being received between and being releasably wedgingly engaged by said members whereby tension applied to the other of said portions will urge said locking member toward said abutment member and thereby cause said members to wedgingly grip said one of said strap portions and hold said strap in adjusted position in said buckle, a release means movably mounted upon said body and engaging at least one of said members and effecting separating movement of said members whereby to rei lease said Wedging engagement of said members with said strap and free the latter for adjustment of said strap upon said buckle, means associated with said mounting means and engaging said members and limiting movement of the latter toward and preventing contact of the latter with the adjacent ends of said opening, and means on said buckle for detachably anchoring the latter to a support means.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a hook on said body comprising a handle therefor and constituting said anchoring means.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises flanges upstanding upon said other face of said body upon opposite sides of said opening and having longitudinal slots in said flanges, at least one of said members having its extremities slidably retained in said slots.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said release means includes portions slidably received in said slots and further includes arms connected to said last-mentioned portions and engaging between said members the extremities of said members for effecting relative separation of said members whereby to release the wedging engagement of said members with said strap.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said release means portions are disposed in said slots between said members.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least one of said members has a cylindrical strap engaging surface, said locking member surface being smooth and said abutment member surface being serrated.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said abutment member has said cylindrical strap engaging surface and said locking member has a cylindrical recess disposed complementary to said abutment member for clampingly receiving said strap therebetween, said locking member having thereon said rotation preventing means.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises flanges upstanding upon said other face of said body upon the opposite sides of said opening, there being longitudinal slots in said flanges, each of said members having extremities slidably received and retained in said slots, said abutment member extremities being rotatable in said slots, said locking member extremities being non-rotatably but slidably confined in said slots.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said release means has portions slidably and rotatably retained in said slots between said members and has arms rigidly connected to and extending from said last-mentioned portions and each engageable with the adjacent extremities of both members for effecting movement of said locking member away from said abutment member upon swinging of said arms about said last-mentioned portions whereby to release the wedging engagement of said members with said strap.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said locking member has a cylindrical recess disposed complementary to said abutment member for clampingly receiving said strap therebetween.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mount ing means comprises flanges on said other face of said body having longitudinal slots therein, each of said members having extremities slidably received and retained in said slots, said release means having ends movably retained in said slots between said members and having arms rigidly connected to and extending angularly from said ends and each engageable with the adjacent extremities of both members for effecting movement of said locking member away from said abutment member upon swinging of said arms about said ends whereby to release the wedging engagement of said members with said strap.

12. A cargo retainer comprising a buckle and a strap adjustably secured thereto, said buckle comprising a onepiece open-frame, plate-like body having obverse and reverse faces with said obverse face comprising a flat, planar unobstructed surface, said body having an opening extending therethrough between said faces and bounded by side and end walls, a pair of upstanding parallel longitudinally slotted flanges upon said reverse face on opposite sides of said opening side walls, locking and abutment members disposed in side-by-side relation and extending across said opening, means mounting the extremities of one of said members in said slots for both rotary and sliding movement and the extremities of the other member for slidable but non-rotative movement in said slots, said strap having a loop embracing one of said members and with one of the portions of said strap contiguous to said loop being disposed between said members for wedging engagement thereby and with both of the portions of said strap contiguous to said loop extending through said opening and overlying said obverse face, and a release means comprising a lever including arms having extremities slidably and rockably engaged in said slots, said arms having portions disposed between and engaging both of said members and moving the latter apart upon rocking of said lever thereby releasing the gripping engagement of said members upon said strap, said slots having their ends so positioned as to prevent engagement of said members with said opening end walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,156,870 5/39 Rineer et al. 24196 X 2,754,560 7/56 Warner et al. 24196 2,919,481 1/60 Finken et al. 24196 2,977,655 4/61 Peters 24-196 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,126,537 7/56 France.

731,927 2/43 Germany.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Examiner. 

1. A CARGO RETAINER COMPRISING A STRAP AND A BUCKLE ADJUSTABLY SECURED THERETO, SAID BUCKLE COMPRISING A PLATE-LIKE BODY HAVING A PLANAR FACE FREE OF PROJECTIONS AND CONSTITUTING AN OPEN FRAME HAVING ENDS AND SIDES DEFINING AN OPENING THEREBETWEEN, LOCKING AND ABUTMENT MEMBERS DISPOSED IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION AND EXTENDING ACROSS SAID OPENING, MOUNTING MEANS UPON THE OTHER FACE OF SAID BODY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENING AND SUPPORTING IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID OTHER FACE THE ENDS OF SAID MEMBERS FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS ACROSS SAID OPENING AND TOWARD AND FROM EACH OTHER, ROTATION PREVENTING MEANS ON ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID STRAP HAVING A LOOP EMBRACING SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND HAVING THE PORTIONS OF SAID STRAP CONTIGUOUS TO SAID LOOP EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING AND OVERLYING SAID BODY PLANAR FACE, ONE OF SAID STRAP PORTIONS BEING RECEIVED BETWEEN AND BEING RELEASABLY WEDGINGLY ENGAGED BY SAID MEMBERS WHEREBY TENSION APPLIED TO THE OTHER OF SAID PORTIONS WILL URGE SAID LOCKING MEMBER TOWARD SAID ABUTMENT MEMBER AND THEREBY CAUSE SAID MEMBERS TO WEDGINGLY GRIP SAID ONE OF SAID STRAP PORTIONS AND HOLD SAID STRAP IN ADJUSTED POSITION IN SAID BUCKLE, A RELEASE MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED OPON SAID BODY AND ENGAGING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND EFFECTING SEPARATING MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS WHEREBY TO RELEASE SAID WEDGING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS WITH SAID STRAP AND FREE THE LATTER FOR ADJUSTMENT OF SAID STRAP UPON SAID BUCKLE, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND ENGAGING SAID MEMBERS AND LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER TOWARD AND PREVENTING CONTACT OF THE LATTER WITH THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID OPENING, AND MEANS ON SAID BUCKLE FOR DETACHABLY ANCHORING THE LATTER TO A SUPPORT MEANS. 